3 Ways to Choose a Low Calorie Wine

Trying to lose weight? Those alcohol calories add up quickly. In fact, a 5 oz glass of Napa Cabernet has about 175 calories, the same number of calories as 22 Hershey’s Kisses!

Last week we had the folks from the wine app Drync (who is also based in Boston!) over to our offices. They came to teach us more about low calorie wines and share their tips on ways to make the best waistline-friendly choice. Read on for Drync’s tips – and to see photo highlights from our get-together!

So where do the calories in wine come from? There are two contributing elements: alcohol and sugar. Alcohol is created in wine when yeasts convert the grapes natural sugars during fermentation. Grapes that are less ripe produce wines that have less alcohol. If the wine is “dry” in style, which most wines are, it will also have little to no residual sugar, making a solid low calorie option.

Is low-calorie wine a new thing? There has been a surge of low calorie wines on the market in recent years, but the wine style is far from new. Dry, low-alcohol wines have been made for everyday drinking throughout Europe for hundreds, even thousands of years. Largely consumed by local folks in the wine region, Drync says these treasures are becoming more abundant in the US market and represent some of the finest wine discoveries and best values out there.

What are the best ways to find a low calorie wine?

1) Look for Low Alcohol The first step is to look for those with low alcohol: this would be under 12.5 percent for whites and 13.5 percent or less for reds. Alcohol percentages are always listed on the label by law, so this is an easy one. However, if you don’t have the bottle handy, think about the wine’s region to help determine the alcohol content. Is it a cool climate or a warm climate? Since fruit gets less ripe in cooler climates, the chances are the wine will have less alcohol.

2) Opt for Dry, but Slightly Sweet is Not Off Limits The second step is estimating the sugar content. This requires a little bit of knowledge about wine styles, but not too much. Most wines with low alcohol content are dry – remember the yeasts eat the sugars and convert them into alcohol! These little guys LOVE sugar and don’t stop until it runs out. However, it is possible for a winemaker to put an end to their sugar high to preserve a little sweetness in the wine. Moscato d’Asti and German Rieslings are prime examples of sweeter low-alcohol wines. Moscato d’Asti is very low in alcohol, usually about 5-6 percent, but has significantly more sugar than a dry wine, approx. 50 g/l (about the same as a bottle of Snapple Iced Tea). In well-made versions the low alcohol balances the extra sugar calories and it evens out to be about 70-80 calories per glass. So, if you hanker for sweet wine this could be your answer. (It should be noted that sugar content in mass produced Moscato d’Asti can get much higher (100-150g/l), particularly in mass produced wines.)

3) Use Your Senses Now, what if you don’t have a bottle to reference at all? This is a common conundrum at BBQs and large gatherings of the sort. Someone kindly brings you a glass of mystery wine they scored at the beverage bar and has no recollection of what was poured in the glass. Never fear. Drync has helpful tips there too. First, check out the legs on that baby. Before you even taste a wine, you can get an idea for its alcohol and sugar content by looking at what is called the wine’s “legs.” Swirl the wine in the glass and watch how it drips downs the sides. The more it clings to the glass and comes together slowly in thick drips, the more residual sugar and alcohol there is in the wine. If you are still unsure, take a sip! Does it taste sweet? Do you feel alcohol rising through your nose? Does it coat your mouth? It may cost you 20 calories to try it, but you’ll have your answer.